G.O.B. and bus owners buck heads over price hikes
The ongoing confusion surrounding the increase in bus fares across the country reached a climax this morning after students and teachers from the west refused to pay the new prices. According to bus operator David Novelo, around eight-thirty this morning, passengers, including staff and students of Mopan Technical High, told the conductor that they would not pay the higher fares for their journey. After consulting with management, the driver was ordered to take the bus back to the company’s base in Benque. Novelo says the men and women then lay in the road and threw stones at the bus. At this point, San Ignacio police and transport officials arrived on the scene and managed to get the crowd under control. News 5 understands that the protestors then moved to the Novelo’s terminal in Benque where they staged a peaceful demonstration asking for a return to the old fares.
This incident came hours after government called an emergency meeting with the country’s bus operators to discuss the issue of the price hikes. In speaking with News 5 this morning, Acting Minister of Transport Johnny Briceño told us that the bus industry is regulated and therefore must go through the proper procedures before making any changes in fares. Briceño says he told the transport providers that G.O.B. cannot endorse any rate changes that exceed the amounts stated on their road service permits. The bus operators, who are now calling themselves the Belize Bus Owners Alliance, say they won’t budge from the new prices they announced on Monday, mainly because of the inconsistencies coming from the Ministry of Transport. This afternoon, Janelle Chanona discussed the situation with bus operator, Tony Novelo.
Tony Novelo’s Member Bus Owners’ Alliance
“We’re still going over, discussing who is right and who is wrong, which is the fundamental issue with the Department of Transport and the Bus Owners’ Alliance.”
Janelle Chanona
“Don’t you think the claim that the bus operators are making would have appeared more legitimate if you guys had gone to government first instead of just announcing a price increase? Because now government is claiming that they knew nothing about it. So wouldn’t your purpose have been served better by going to government first?”
Tony Novelo
“We did go to government. We didn’t do it in full, there was a little bit of mistakes on both sides. We should not only blame the bus owners. We briefed the Minister of Transport that there would be a raise.”
Janelle Chanona
“Wouldn’t they have been expecting so far as the ceiling cap on the road permit issued rather than over the amount stated on the bus road permit?”
Tony Novelo
“They are talking about ceiling caps, but can they really tell the nation why don’t they come out openly…why don’t the Commissioner of Transport or whosoever in charge of transport come out openly and tell the nation what is the ceiling cap? Why are they leaving it to us to prove ceiling caps? Why don’t they bring documents?”
Janelle Chanona
“But isn’t there an amount stated on the back of the road service permits that is supposed to be the ceiling cap?”
Tony Novelo
“But there is irregularity that it varies countrywide with all the operators…”
Janelle Chanona
“But that ceiling cap is still on the permit right? That is supposed to be the maximum amount you can charge.”
Tony Novelo
“No, because some areas we’re taking that is below seven cents per mile, and some areas we’re talking eighteen cents per mile, so which is the ceiling cap?”
Janelle Chanona
“The amount stated on the back of the permit.”
Tony Novelo
“No, that’s not necessarily, because when you look at it, Tillett Bus Line has 3.50 from Orange Walk to Belize. At the time of the acquisition, when Batty’s came together along with Novelo’s, the permit was $4.50. What is the ceiling cap? Is it 4.50? Is it 3.50? How can they sign documents and give permits for the same bus the same route and a dollar difference? So who is right or wrong?”
Janelle Chanona
“So bottom line, bus owners will not back off the prices they have announced?”
Tony Novelo
“Well we are saying that we cannot go down. We’re playing with people’s mind, we saying it went up by a dollar, it went up by fifty cents in certain areas. And we needed this raise, we don’t have any concessions, no fuel, the prices of fuel went up, insurance went up, inflation is going up on a whole. And we have already made that decision, it went up. We need to sit down with the government and really take it serious, and they will have to decide with us what is the ceiling cap. We feel that we have not gone above, and I think…even let’s say that they’re saying we are violating the law, that we went above the ceiling cap. Are we really asking the public too much if it’s just a dollars raise for ten years of service.”
Late this evening News 5 was informed that the Prime Minister is now personally involved in the matter and this afternoon held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Johnny Briceño, Minister of Budget Management Ralph Fonseca, Minister of Home Affairs Max Samuels, Attorney General Godfrey Smith and Chief of Staff Francis Fonseca. According to a government spokesperson, Minister of Transport Henry Canton will arrive back in the country over the weekend and will meet with the bus operators at nine Monday morning. Government is expected to reiterate its position at that meeting that a prescribed schedule for bus fares will be agreed upon which will not exceed the maximum amount allowed by law.
